msmobiles.com - Cellular News - Orange uses Netfm wireless 'journey-sharing' technology to alleviate congestion and pollution around UK offices

Orange uses Netfm wireless 'journey-sharing' technology to alleviate congestion and pollution around UK offices
July 06, 2004;
After introducing new lanes on highways in UK - for more than one passenger ONLY - this new technology may be very helpful...

Orange employees across the United Kingdom are soon to be able to find colleagues to share travel journeys to and from the workplace via their mobile phones and intranet site.

Netfm has adapted their Journey2Share product for use by Orange via their corporate intranet to facilitate their 13,000 employees at over 100 sites. Once people register their details they can seek out fellow commuters who share not only a common route to and from work but also a common mode of preferred transport. The Orange version of Journey2Share is called a2b and uniquely incorporates the ability for colleagues to travel together by car, train, bus or even by foot.

a2b works via web access, using a dynamic database that matches potential journey sharers and cross-referencing user locations and user profiles. Registered users for example can offer or request a car share journey by text message or over the web and receive an almost instant match with other commuting employees. This information is transferred onto Ordinance Survey maps for on route planning. The service offers total security using a direct link into Orange via Netfm's ASP (Application Service Provider)

A similar venture in West Berkshire has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by two tones per month as well as alleviating local traffic congestion and parking constraints.

Neil Pratten Head of Health and Safety and Environment for Orange said "Changing travel behaviour is the key to reducing congestion and the pressure on car parking and we believe that this innovative product which uses text messaging technology will help Orange employees to share more and more of their journeys, and so reduce both."

Dave Herring, Chief Technical Officer, Netfm, said "Orange's selection of Journey2Share is a fantastic endorsement of our technology. Both parties believe the product will be an instant and long term success."

Credit: Sonus PR

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